For the Love of Books
by ClaireEve13
Summary: Hermione and Sirius are sorting out books when Hermione has something to confess.
1. Love and Books

"You can't be serious." she chided.

"No, but I am." a rough, low voice said from behind turned away from a messy bookshelf to look at the handsome older man before her. Sirius Black, no less. He was in his usual old-fashioned attire. Looking rather dapper, thought Hermione,  
glancing over him quickly. He was smiling warmly at her. "What seems to be the problem, kitten?"

Hermione ignored the warm, intense spike of lust in her stomach and turned back to the bookshelf. "They're a mess. The books. None of them are in alphabetical order and some have been put in backwards. Look!" she pointed to a book with all the pages facing  
outward and she righted it, along with 6 others. "Who would do this?" she muttered.

"Here let me help you." Sirius walked forward and stood right beside Hermione and started piling books up on the floor. Hermione stopped correcting books and watched Sirius.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Better to start from scratch." he said, taking more books off. Hermione copied him, piling books behind her.

"Right," Sirius stood up straight and glanced at all the books on the ground. The bookshelf was completely bare. "Wow, it's warm in here, don't you think?" he shook his jacket off and chucked it across the room to land on the sofa.

Oh, please take more off, Hermione thought, staring at his body, which was slimmer than she remembered but looked stunning in his mismatched suit.

"Yes, it is." Hermione whispered, still unable to take her eyes off him.

He turned to her and she quickly averted her gaze to his face, sure that a pink blush was covering her cheeks. A mere glimmer of a smile tugged at his mouth but she saw it. "Gather all books with the Author's surnames beginning with A." he then got onto  
his hands and knees in front of the books, pulling out seemingly random ones.

She shook her head, in an attempt to clear her mind and turned to her books. She gathered what she could and turned back to the shelf. Sirius had put at least 5 books at the very top when Hermione handed 4 books over. She watched as Sirius arranged the  
books properly. She watched as he stretched and moved his thin frame. She was staring at his firm buttocks when he suddenly turned to her. This time he laughed, a low chuckle, deep in his throat.

"You all right, kitten? You look a little flushed." he smirked at her. Hermione's heart began to race. His eyesboring into hers made her brain go fuzzy.

"I'm fine." Sheturned to her books to receive the B's. She was tempted to just admit she was staring at his ass, but for some reason decided against it.

"Hey. I was only messing with you. Hermione…" he placed a hand on her back and she froze.

She got up off the floor and turned to face him. He was far closer than she realised. Her breath caught but she didn't move. "If you must know," she paused, daring herself to just say it, "I was thinking that you looked good. In your suit." she had twisted  
the truth but nonetheless, she had said it.

"Oh." he looked genuinely surprised by her comment. "Thank you very much." He glanced down at himself. "It's an old suit I found in my wardrobe. I lost rather a lot of weight in Azkaban, as you can imagine, so it's rather loose on me." Hepatted  
down his waistcoat as if to check it hadn't changed size.

"It looks good on you." she said, looking at his waistcoat where his hand still rested.

"Glad you think so." he spoke softly, quietly, like the air had changed, like an elephant had started to grow within the room and when she looked at him he was staring into her eyes, unblinking. Her palms grew sweaty but she felt more confident than before  
and she figured it might have been because she felt she had finally admitted something deep to him.

She reached out and touched the fabric of his waistcoat. She wanted to comment on it, maybe. Find an excuse to keep talking but the words got stuck in her throat and her hand lingered on his chest. She could feel his gaze on her face so she looked up.  
To her, they had seemed to move closer to each other.

"Hermione." Sirius stuttered on her name slightly. Her hand stayed still as she looked into his eyes. "I have to ask and I'm sorry if I'm wrong but given the circumstances I feel I must. Do you… Do you have feelings for me, Hermione?"

Her heart jumped into her throat. Yes, she did. She very much did but her words stayed in her throat. She cleared it. "Yes." A quiet reply, barely a whisper escaped her lips. Her face felt hot and stifled and the elephant in the room didn't go away.

He placed a hand over hers, on his chest and held it there. "I thought so." he whispered back. A short moment passed. "You know it can never happen, don't you?"

Her heart sank, deep in her stomach. She stared into his eyes and couldn't move. He was breaking her heart.

"I'm…I'm much older than you. I mean, you… You're barely…" He stumbled for the right words yet he still held her hand.

"I'm nineteen in 3 months. I'm of age." Her voice came out hard and loud and slightly cold. He was not going to do this to her while he held her hand so protectively.

"But I am 42, Hermione. More than twice your age. It wouldn't be-"

"Appropriate?" Hermione finished. She tugged her hand from under his, anger and hurt boiling inside her. "What's really stopping you? I'm eighteen. I've wanted you for as long as I can remember and now I am of legal age and yes, I'm aware of yours. I  
am fully aware but that doesn't stop me from wanting you, Sirius." she turned away. She could feel the sting of tears in her eyes, feeling all of her pent-up emotion for him spilling out.

Sirius just stood still as a post, looking at the woman before him, confessing her feelings. "You can't do this to me, Sirius. You can't. I couldn't… I don't want…"She turned to face him. "I love you, okay? I have for years and I've been too scared  
to say anything in case-"

Sirius held up a hand. "Wait, you love me?" he whispered, slowly lowering his hand. He took a tentative step toward her so they were mere inches apart. Hermione glanced upward at him, hoping he'll say he loves her too. Hoping against hope he'll at least  
reach down and kiss her!

"Yes, I do." She said, firmly, reaching up to wrap her arms around Sirius' neck. His body stiffened up, not sure if he should let her touch him but then he loosened slightly and opened his mouth. He closed it and then opened it once more, unable to think  
of anything to say.

Finally, "why?"

"You're kind, sweet, handsome, funny, sexy and…I just think you're pretty amazing in general. Is that so terrible?"

Sirius shook his head. "No, it's not. I don't see any of that but…I'm surprised someone else does."

"It shouldn't. You could get any woman you wanted, I'm sure." She whispered. She was pressed against him with her arms around his neck. He had barely moved. She guessed, hoped, prayed he was considering her.

He laughed loudly and Hermione flinched at the sudden thunderous laugh reverberating in his chest. He stopped as quickly as he had started laughing. "Me? Now? I'm old, Hermione. I'm old and frayed at the edges and damaged. It's been a very long since  
I was with a woman."

"Even so, I'd still love to spend the rest of my life with you. However frayed and old and damaged to say you are." she leaned up then, on tiptoes to kiss him. Sirius glanced down at her mouth and leaned forward too, slowly, unsure.

When their lips touched, electricity shot through Hermione's nerves, shocking the situation into clarity. Sirius must have felt something too because he wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist and pulled her closer, kissing her deeper.

A moment later they broke off, both breathing heavily. Sirius kept his hands on her waist and she kept her arms around his neck.

"Maybe we should finish sorting the books first." he whispered but Hermione saw the desire in his eyes, the want and need to feel loved again. And oh, did she love him.


	2. Kiss and Tell

Two occupants of number 12 Grimmauld Place awoke with smiles on their faces and love in their hearts.

 _Sirius_

Sirius couldn't believe what Hermione had said the night before, confessing her love for him, not caring about his age or about his history. He thought she was the most beautiful woman to roam his household as far as he was aware. Since she came of age  
she had lost the childishness of her looks. The unruly hair, the teeth that seemed too large for her small face, the short frame. Now her hair was tame and ran in waves down her back, her teeth were the perfect proportion to her face, her cheekbones  
were defined, her figure was slim yet curvy. She turned into a woman, one that Sirius had grown to love and admire and had not at all expected a confession of love from her.

They had finished sorting the books as promised but Harry and Ginny had come back from dinner by then and Hermione had excused herself to bed. He was disappointed but it was understandable, that was not something one could easily admit.

It was the best news he could have heard and he was still unsure as to whether he had dreamed the whole thing. It had seemed too good to be true. Still, Sirius jumped out of bed and walked down to get breakfast with a spring in his step.

 _Hermione_

Her smile was wide and toothy, he had kissed her back! Surly that had meant he loved her too? The realization dawned on her quickly that he hadn't actually said he felt the same way and yet he had kissed her back. What did that mean?

Her joy swirled around her tummy but doubt bounced around her head. She hadn't meant to admit she loved him but she didn't want to hide it anymore, not when he looked so handsome sorting out books with her. The moment seemed so intimate and quiet and  
serene, it just seemed right.

She silently scalded herself. She shouldn't be having doubts when Sirius' actions were clear as day. He had let her touch him. He had wrapped his arms around her waist. He had kissed her back! Why was her brain betraying her?

By the time Hermione went down to breakfast she felt confused and happy and doubtful and anxious.

Sirius was in the kitchen in his pale blue pajama bottoms and a plain grey t-shirt. Both looked far too big on him. He had his back to her and she could hear sizzling and smell bacon.

"You can use magic for that, Sirius." Hermione told him, making him jump out of his skin. He dropped the pan on the hob and turned to her, just about avoiding being burnt.

"Merlin, you scared me." He smiled at her warmly, moved the pan aside and walked over to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist. "How are you this morning?"

Hermione tried to smile back. "I'm okay."

Sirius tilted her face up. "You don't seem okay, kitten. What's wrong?"

Hermione took a deep breath and took the plunge. "Do you love me, Sirius?"

Sirius raised his eyebrows and then frowned at her. He was clearly very surprised by her question. "Are you kidding me? Of course I do. I woke up this morning with the biggest smile on my face. Can't you tell how happy I am?"

The relief washed over Hermione in thick, overwhelming waves and she collapsed into his arms. "Thank Merlin. I was worried for a second because you never actually said-"

"I was in shock." Sirius cut her off. "I wasn't expecting the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on to tell me she's in love with an old hat like me."

Hermione's breath caught. She pulled back just enough to look at his face. "Really?" she whispered, barely believing her ears.

"Yes, really." He looked into her eyes and Hermione got the impression he was trying to get her to read his honesty in his silver eyes. "I love you, Hermione. I always have and I always will." he tilted her head up and leaned his face down and he kissed  
her gently, massaging her lips with his. Again, Hermione felt that same shock run through her veins at his kiss and she gasped into his mouth. Sirius pulled her into him and kissed her deeper, eliciting a moan from deep within her. The doubt washed  
away while his tongue played with hers. She was being silly. Of course he loved her. It was obvious.

"What the-?" Harry walked in the room and the pair broke apart. They soon realised that they hadn't actually told anyone yet.

"We, eh… Harry, I can explain-" Hermione stumbled, going red in the face.

"We're in love." Sirius' voice was strong and firm as he spoke the truth daringly. Hermione turned to look at him. He nodded and smiled softly at her, hoping she'll trust him.

"What?" was all Harry could seem to say. "Are you…? Since when?" his voice rose slightly.

"Last night." Hermione said.

"Well, that's not strictly true." Sirius corrected.

"What's going on?" Harry asked again, folding his arms and looking between the two of them.

Ginny walked up behind Harry, quickly sensing the tension. "What's going on?" she asked, stepping into the kitchen

"That's what I want to find out." Harry told her.

Hermione felt awkward, twiddling her thumbs. Sirius was Harry's godfather and she could never forget that, but this must of course been strange for him, seeing his best friend kissing his much older godfather.

Sirius walked up behind Hermione and placed his hands on her shoulders. Harry glared at his hands but Sirius didn't move.

"Harry, please try to understand." he began.

"I don't understand." Ginny asked, looking between Harry who still had his arms folded, Sirius, Hermione and Sirius' hands on Hermione's shoulders. "Am I missing something?"

"Me and Hermione are in love, Ginny." Sirius explained, simply. "Me and Hermione were in the library sorting out the bookshelf when it just…happened. She told me she loved me and that she had for a while and I feel the same way. Neither of us meant for  
this to happen. We're not trying to hurt anyone." He told them.

"Seriously?" Ginny asked, staring at the pair. "Hermione, why didn't you tell me? I'm your best friend!" She looked hurt and Hermione felt a guilty pang in her gut for it.

"I'm sorry, Ginny. I wanted to tell you but I wasn't sure myself. I didn't…want to make it real because I was scared Sirius wasn't going to feel the same way. I didn't tell anyone, actually." Hermione looked down at her hands and Sirius gently squeezed  
her shoulders.

"I can't believe this. Sirius, she's eighteen! She's half your age. What were you thinking?" Harry's voiced raised and he pointed an accusing finger at his godfather.

"I'm of age!" Hermione yelled at him, hating that he was acting like she was a child. "It's not even your choice, Harry! It's mine and Sirius' choice and we want to be together."

"He's 42, for crying out loud!" Harry yelled back, stepping closer to her. "Why? Why Sirius? Why him of all people?"

"Excuse me." Sirius asked, gently moving Hermione to the side so he could face Harry. "Why not me?"

Harry's hard demeanour faltered and his muscles visibly relaxed. "I didn't mean it like that, Sirius."

"What did you mean?" he stood just a few inches away from Harry.

"Please don't fight!" Hermione begged, trying to step between them. "We can discuss this another time, when everybody is calmer. Please."

A moment or so passed while the pair glared at each other over Hermione's head. Harry turned on the spot and walked out. Ginny gave them an apologetic look and went after him up the stairs.

Sirius looked down at Hermione with sorrow in his eyes. She placed two delicate hands on his stubbly face. "He'll come around." she whispered and brought his head down to kiss his forehead.

"I don't know." he muttered, resting his head on her shoulder. "He seemed pretty disgusted by the idea of us. I'm his Godfather, I should've-"

"Sirius, you can love whoever you want. You don't have to answer to him. Even if he never likes the idea do you think that'll stop me from loving you?" Hermione pulled him back so she could look at his face.

"No, you're right. It won't stop me from loving you either but I don't want to lose him. He's the closet thing to family I have. I love him, I really do. I can't lose him." Sirius rested his head on hershoulder again and hugged her close.

"It'll be okay. Harry loves you too, he's just upset. It's just a shock for him, that's all." Hermione gently stroked his dark hair, enjoying the warmth of the man she loved holding her.

"I hope so." his reply was muffled against her hair but it gave her hope.

"Don't forget your bacon."


	3. Padfoot and Potter

Padfoot and Potter

Sirius and Hermione sat at the kitchen table eating toast and cereal having had to throw the burnt bacon away. The room was filled with a strange mixture of happiness, tension, love and scepticism.

"It'll be all right, Sirius." Hermione cooed, rubbing Sirius' back gently. He shook his head at his cereal, his shoulders slumped.

He got up from his chair, startling Hermione from her silent reverie. "I need to talk to him. I can't just leave this unresolved." He walked out of the door calling for Harry. By the sound of it he was searching each room as he went and then headed upstairs. Hermione quickly got up and followed to where Sirius was stood in the doorway of Harry's room.

"I don't have anything to say to you." Harry said from his bed, gazing at a thick book in his hands.

"Please, Harry." Sirius stepped inside and Harry glanced up. "I never meant for this to happen. Really. I never meant to hurt you or to…fall in love." he said the last three words slowly, watching Harry's reaction which was half a grimace and half a look of disgust. It pained Hermione to watch her friend react like this.

"'Fall in love'. In one day? One night? I can't…I don't…" Harry put the book down, sat up and rubbed his face with his hands, probably wishing it was all a bad dream. "How long have you liked Hermione?" Harry looked up at his Godfather then.

"About the last year or so." he said softly. Harry's eyes widened slightly and Sirius noticed. "I was never going to do anything about it! Hermione approached me! I…" he turned to face Hermione and he looked sad and frustrated and full of affection for her. Her heart skipped a beat and she walked up next to him where they slid their arms around each other. "She's an incredible young witch. Undeniably intelligent. She saved me from being thrown into Azkaban again. She risked her life time and time again as did you. I care about you both so much, don't you see that, Harry? Hermione is also the only other person, apart from you, to look past my soiled history and see me as I really am: a good person, a friend, a godfather. I love her, Harry and I would love for you to accept it. I will understand if you can't but I can't lose either of you. My only family. The only people to really care about me. Who really know me."

Hermione felt a tear in her eye, she wasn't sure at which part of his speech that that had occurred but she wiped it away quickly and looked at Harry who was looking directly at her. She knew he had seen that tear and she saw something change in his expression. He looked ashamed.

"Your happiness matters, Sirius. I know that. I want you to be happy. You deserve it. Neither of us have had the best lives but if Hermione can make that easier then I shouldn't stand in the way. It's not like there was anything between me and Hermione anyway, so, I guess what I'm trying to say is, you have my blessing."

Sirius crossed the room quickly just as Harry stood up and the two hugged tightly for what seemed like a very long time but then they separated and invited Hermione to join and they hugged for a moment longer.

….

 **Super short chapter I know. I'll try to make the next one longer. I'm also not sure which direction I should take on this. Leave a review? What do you want to happen? (Other than sex, that WILL happen at some point, I promise)**


	4. Sirius and Hermione

"I'm so glad things have worked out between you and Harry." Hermione said, "I guess the worst is over." She snuggled closer to Sirius, enjoying his warmth.

Sirius laughed loudly. "I guess you could say that. But I am glad too. I'd have hated if...if he couldn't except us. It would have meant losing one or both of you and I couldn't bare that."

Hermione leaned up on one elbow. "Hey." She reached out and placed a hand on his face, gently turning him to face her. "You don't have to worry about that now. I'm certainly not going anywhere anytime soon and...Harry loves you. He couldn't bare to lose you either. It was just a lot for him to take in. His godfather and bestfriend being in love. I mean, could you imagine being in his shoes? How much of a shock that would be?"

Sirius reached out and tucked a stray hair behind her ear then lowered his hand to rest on her face. Hermione couldn't help leaning into his hand and closing her eyes. "My dear sweet Hermione, I know. That's partly why I never acted on my feelings. And partly because I didn't want you to see me as some sort of creeper. And partly because I was scared of you rejecting me. It's been a very long since I was in love. It's quite a scary thing."

Hermione opened her eyes to look at him. "It can be terrifying and wonderful both at the same time. Feeling so much emotion for another person is and incredible feeling. Having that unrequitted would be devastating but they feel the same? Well, it's like the world has colour, like the sky is brighter and the sun glitters in the sky and everything feels complete. It's wonderful."

Sirius smiled at her and stroked her face softly. "You certainly have a way with words." He paused a moment and took in her features, thinking about everything she just said and confirming that that was exactly how he felt looking into Hermione's eyes. "I would say it's also like a drug. Like you can't get enough of the other person, or ever get bored. Everytime you see them you fall in love all over again."

"Exactly." Hermione grinned and leaned up to kiss Sirius. He pulled her closer and deepened the kiss immensely, both of them consumed with emotions and needing to express it. The kiss was deeper than their usual kisses and they both knew what it meant. They were lying fully clothed on Hermione's bed, just talking an enjoying each other's company before the kissing started. Hermione and Sirius were both surprised they hadn't given in to their needs for each other. Hermione guessed it was because of Harry's outburst that they had put off going the next step. Sirius realised it was because he was scared he would lose Harry if he gave in to his needs but now he knew, being in Hermione's arms and kissing her deeply, that it wasn't going to happen.

Just as long as Harry doesn't find out they slept together.

Hermione ran her fingers through Sirius' soft hair eliciting a soft moan from him. He then rolled on top of her and ran his hand down from her face, grazing her neck, collarbone and chest with his fingers. His hand lingered just above her breast where he seemed to be hesitating but then he started massaging her through her clothes. Hermione moaned softly into his mouth and held him against her tighter, needing him more than ever.

"I love you, Sirius Black." she whispered into their kiss. "I want you to make love to me." She ephasized the point by nibbling his bottom lip and slidding a hand under his shirt to touch his chest.

"Anything you wish, my Hermione." he whispered back, a wave of love and lust filling Hermione until she could think of nothing else but the man she loved most in the world.

Reluctantly Sirius moved away from her to take his shirt off and then take Hermione's off, followed by her bra. "So beautiful." His gaze moved from her flushed face to her bare chest where his mouth found a soft, pink nipple and sucked and nibbled gently but it was enough to drive Hermione crazy. She moaned louder this time, forgetting that Harry was in his room next door.

Sirius lifted his head with a smirk on his face. "Maybe we should use a Silencing Charm?"

Hermione only nodded, breathing a little too heavily. Sirius grabbed his wand from the bedside table and silently cast his spell before his attention went back to her.

Instead of resuming his sweet torture on her breasts he positioned himself between her legs, still with the bottom half of their clothing on and kissed her fiercely, deeply, like it was the only thing that mattered. They moaned softly into each other's mouths and Sirius started thrusting his groin against hers making her gasp. Hermione pulled him closer and thrust back, wanting, needing more from him.

Sirius seemed to sense the change and pulled back from her to undo and pull off her trousers and knickers. Despite this being the first time to be naked in front of Sirius, to her it felt like the most natural thing in the world, the most sexy she'd ever felt. Self-consciousness was not on her mind at all when Sirius' gaze trailed over every bit of naked flesh. She ached to pull him back to her but not before he removed his own clothing and Hermione let her gaze travel all over him. When their eyes met they smiled sweetly before Sirius lowered himself to her and kissed her once more.

Before long he was thrusting again, not necessarily intending enter her yet but it happened and as he slid into her she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of being filled by him.

"That...feels more amazing than I ever..." Sirius paused but Hermione figured it out.

"...ever imagined." she finished, running her fingers through his hair.

Sirius started thrusting harder, spurred on, she assumed, by the knowledge she had imagined this moment too. Hermione moaned into Sirius' shoulder and wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him ever closer. In response Sirius sped up making the old bed springs creak in protest but neither of them cared.

"Oh..." Hermione breathed, feeling her core start to tighten. "Harder..." she whimpered, the coil tightening.

Sirius happily obliged, holding on to Hermione, sweat pouring off them both, the bed sounding on the brink of breaking...

Her core tightened even more and released just as quickly making her arch her back, close her eyes and call out, "Sirius!" as she tightened around Sirius' erection that was now throbbing in response.

"Fuck." He groaned. "Hermione." His grip on her tightened as he released his own orgasm into her. They stayed like that until their breathing was almost normal...then they stayed a bit longer until sleep overtook them both.


End file.
